U.S. patent application number 15/111235 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-10 for antenna apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is NEC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Yoshiaki KASAHARA.
Application Number | 20160329639 15/111235 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53777429 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160329639 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KASAHARA; Yoshiaki |
November 10, 2016 |
ANTENNA APPARATUS
Abstract
A plurality of unit structures, each including a first planar
conductor, a second planar conductor arranged so as to be opposed
to the first planar conductor, a first conductor connection part
that connects the first planar conductor and the second planar
conductor, a second conductor connection part that connects the
first planar conductor and the second planar conductor in a
position different from the position of the first conductor
connection part, and an opening part that is held between the first
conductor connection part and the second conductor connection part
and is provided on the first planar conductor, are arranged in a
direction perpendicular to a line segment that connects the first
conductor connection part and the second conductor connection part
and include unit structures including at least two or more types of
opening parts, the shapes of which are different from one
another.
Inventors: |
KASAHARA; Yoshiaki; (Tokyo,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NEC CORPORATION |
Minato-ku, Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
53777429 |
Appl. No.: |
15/111235 |
Filed: |
November 6, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
November 6, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2014/005592 |
371 Date: |
July 13, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q 15/0086 20130101;
H01Q 13/22 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01Q 13/22 20060101
H01Q013/22; H01Q 15/00 20060101 H01Q015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 4, 2014 |
JP |
2014-019266 |
Claims
1. An antenna apparatus comprising a plurality of unit structures,
each of the unit structures being a constituent element and
comprising: a first planar conductor; a second planar conductor
that is provided so as to be opposed to the first planar conductor;
a first conductor connection part that connects the first planar
conductor and the second planar conductor; a second conductor
connection part that is provided in a position different from the
position of the first conductor connection part and connects the
first planar conductor and the second planar conductor; and an
opening part that is provided in an area on the first planar
conductor, the area being sandwiched between the first conductor
connection part and the second conductor connection part, wherein:
the plurality of unit structures are arranged so that each of the
first planar conductor and the second planar conductor of the unit
structure forms one plane in a direction perpendicular to a line
segment that connects the first conductor connection part and the
second conductor connection part, and the plurality of unit
structures comprise at least two or more types of opening parts,
the shapes of which are different from one another.
2. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference
in the shapes of the opening parts included in the at least two or
more types of respective unit structures including the opening
parts whose shapes are different from one another is characterized
by a difference in the lengths of line elements that do not include
opposing parts among line elements that form the opening part.
3. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shape of
the opening part is a meandering shape.
4. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit
structure further comprises a chip capacitance that spans the
opening part.
5. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit
structure further comprises an island-shaped conductor that is
arranged to be opposed to the first planar conductor, the
island-shaped conductor spanning the opening part.
6. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit
structure further comprises: an island-shaped conductor that is
arranged to be opposed to the first planar conductor, the
island-shaped conductor spanning the opening part; and a conductive
post that connects the island-shaped conductor and the first planar
conductor.
7. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least
two or more types of unit structures in which the distance between
the first conductor connection part and the second conductor
connection part differs among the plurality of unit structures.
8. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or both
of the first conductor connection part and the second conductor
connection part is formed of a conductive post array.
9. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein among the
line elements that form the opening parts forming the respective
unit structures, the lengths of the line elements that do not
include the opposing parts gradually increase from a unit structure
arranged in a side of a power input end to a unit structure
arranged in a side of a power output end.
10. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein among the
line elements that form the opening parts forming the respective
unit structures, the lengths of the line elements that do not
include the opposing parts gradually decrease from a unit structure
arranged at the center of the antenna to a unit structure arranged
in a side of an antenna end part.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an antenna apparatus, and
more specifically, to an antenna apparatus that forms a leaky wave
antenna.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A leaky wave antenna that uses a composite right/left-handed
transmission line has been proposed as one of applications that use
"metamaterials" formed of periodic structures sufficiently smaller
than wavelengths of electromagnetic waves. The composite
right/left-handed transmission line can be obtained by introducing
capacitance components into a series part of a normal host line
having a right-handed characteristic and introducing inductance
components into a shunt part of the same host line.
[0003] For example, in a structure disclosed in the specification
of U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,957 (Patent Literature 1), titled "ANNTENNAS
BASED ON METAMATERIAL STRUCTURES", a capacitance between "Cell
Conductive Patches" (conductive patches) and an inductance by a
"Cell Conductive Via" (conductive via) are introduced into a
microstrip line, which is a host line, whereby a Composite
Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) transmission line is obtained.
[0004] In the composite right/left-handed transmission line, in a
frequency band in which the phase of electromagnetic waves
propagating through the transmission line matches the phase of
electromagnetic waves that may exist in a free space, the
electromagnetic waves propagating through the transmission line
leak out to the free space. The antenna thus serves as the leaky
wave antenna. The leaky wave antenna is able to efficiently radiate
radio waves in a frequency region wider than that of normal
resonant antennas. Further, the leaky wave antenna that uses the
composite right/left-handed transmission line is able to radiate
radio waves in broad angles from forward to backward with respect
to the power propagation direction depending on the frequency.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0005] [Patent Literature 1] Specification of U.S. Pat. No.
7,592,957 (p 4-p 9)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0006] However, in the leaky wave antenna formed of the composite
right/left-handed transmission line in which the microstrip line is
used as the host line as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, it is
difficult to control a radio wave radiation amount per unit
length.
[0007] That is, in the leaky wave antenna disclosed in Patent
Literature 1, radio waves are emitted from side surfaces of the
microstrip line and the gap between the "Cell Conductive Patches"
(conductive patches). Further, due to changes in a part where a
strong current flows and a part where a strong electric field is
generated depending on the frequency, a part from which the radio
waves are emitted varies according to the change in the frequency.
It is therefore difficult to specify the part from which the
electromagnetic waves are emitted and to control the radio wave
radiation amount.
[0008] One of the problems that occur due to the difficulty in
controlling the radio wave radiation amount is a distortion of
beams that are formed. In the leaky wave antenna, the
electromagnetic waves are leaked to the free space as the
electromagnetic waves propagate in the leaky wave antenna, which
reduces the power in the leaky wave antenna. Therefore, in the
leaky wave antenna in which the unit structures that are
constituent elements of the antenna have the same radiation
efficiency as in related art, the radiation amount of the
electromagnetic waves becomes large around a power input side and
becomes small around a power output side. Therefore, the beams that
are formed are distorted.
OBJECT OF PRESENT INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the
aforementioned problems and aims to provide an antenna apparatus, a
wiring board, and an electronic device that achieve the leaky wave
antenna in which the radio wave radiation amount per antenna length
is controlled and the leaky wave antenna having antenna sections in
which the radio wave radiation efficiencies per antenna length are
different from one another.
Solution to Problem
[0010] In order to solve the aforementioned problem, an antenna
apparatus according to the present invention mainly employs the
following characteristic structures.
[0011] An antenna apparatus according to the present invention
includes a plurality of unit structures, each of the unit
structures being a constituent element and including: [0012] a
first planar conductor;
[0013] a second planar conductor that is provided so as to be
opposed to the first planar conductor;
[0014] a first conductor connection part that connects the first
planar conductor and the second planar conductor;
[0015] a second conductor connection part that is provided in a
position different from the position of the first conductor
connection part and connects the first planar conductor and the
second planar conductor; and
[0016] an opening part that is provided in an area on the first
planar conductor, the area being sandwiched between the first
conductor connection part and the second conductor connection part,
in which:
[0017] the plurality of unit structures are arranged so that each
of the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor of
the unit structure forms one plane in a direction perpendicular to
a line segment that connects the first conductor connection part
and the second conductor connection part, and
[0018] the plurality of unit structures include at least two or
more types of opening parts, the shapes of which are different from
one another.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0019] According to the antenna apparatus of the present invention,
the waveguide formed of the first planar conductor, the second
planar conductor, the first conductor connection part, and the
second conductor connection part is used as the host line, the
capacitance components are introduced into the series part of the
host line by the opening part or a slit in the waveguide, and slits
having shapes different from one another are included in one host
line, whereby it is possible to obtain the leaky wave antenna in
which the radio wave radiation amount per antenna length is
controlled and to obtain the leaky wave antenna having antenna
sections in which the radio wave radiation efficiencies per antenna
length are different from one another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one example of a
perspective view of an antenna apparatus according to a first
exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing one example of a plan
view of the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing one example of a
cross-sectional view of the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing one example of a
cross-sectional view in a case in which a first conductor
connection part and a second conductor connection part of the
antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are formed of conductive post
arrays;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing an equivalent circuit of
a waveguide formed of a first conductor connection part, a second
conductor connection part, a first conductor connection part, and a
second conductor connection part in the antenna apparatus according
to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing one example of an
equivalent circuit when a unit structure, which is a constituent
unit of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, has an opening part;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing one example of operation
principles of the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a schematic view for describing one example of the
operation principles of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 9 is a graph showing one example of a result of an
analysis of a radiation efficiency of electromagnetic waves of the
antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing one example of an
electromagnetic field analysis model for performing an analysis of
the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic waves of the
antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 11 is a diagram for further describing one example of
operation principles of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment;
[0031] FIG. 12 is a diagram for further describing one example of
the operation principles of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment from an aspect different from the aspect
shown in FIG. 11;
[0032] FIG. 13 is a diagram for further describing one example of
the operation principles of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment from an aspect different from the aspect
shown in FIG. 11;
[0033] FIG. 14 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from that shown in FIG. 1;
[0034] FIG. 15 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
position where a chip capacitance is attached different from that
shown in FIG. 14 in the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 16 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from the structures shown in FIGS. 1, 14, and
15;
[0036] FIG. 17 is a schematic view for describing a configuration
example when one end of an island-shaped conductor is electrically
connected to a first planar conductor in the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 18 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 14 to
17;
[0038] FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing an example of the plan
view of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from FIG. 2;
[0039] FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing an example of the plan
view of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from that shown in FIG. 19;
[0040] FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing one example of a case in
which an impedance conversion is performed in the antenna apparatus
that forms a waveguide part using a dielectric substrate;
[0041] FIG. 22 is a schematic view showing one example of a plan
view of an antenna apparatus according to a second exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 23 is a schematic view showing one example of a plan
view of an antenna apparatus according to a third exemplary
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0043] FIG. 24 is a schematic view showing another example of the
plan view of the antenna apparatus according to the third exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0044] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
preferable exemplary embodiments of an antenna apparatus according
to the present invention will be described in detail. In the
following description, the antenna apparatus according to the
present invention will be described. Needless to say, however, the
antenna apparatus may be mounted on a wiring board or an electronic
device may be formed using the antenna apparatus. Further, in the
drawings that are used in the following description, components
that are shown in the plurality of drawings in common are denoted
by the same reference symbols and descriptions thereof will be
omitted. It is needless to say, however, that each drawing
exemplifies one example of the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention and does not limit the present invention.
(Characteristics of Present Invention)
[0045] Prior to a description of the exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, the outline of characteristics of the present
invention will be described first. The main characteristics of the
present invention are as follows: the waveguide is used as the host
line of the antenna apparatus, a slit is provided for each of the
plurality of unit structures forming the waveguide, a plurality of
capacitance components are introduced into the series part of the
host line, and at least two slits having shapes different from one
another are included in one host line, whereby it is possible to
obtain the leaky wave antenna in which the radio wave radiation
amount per antenna length is controlled and to obtain the leaky
wave antenna having antenna sections in which the radio wave
radiation efficiencies per antenna length are different from one
another.
[0046] More specifically, the present invention includes an antenna
apparatus including a plurality of unit structures, each of the
unit structures being a constituent element and including: a first
planar conductor; a second planar conductor that is provided so as
to be opposed to the first planar conductor; a first conductor
connection part that connects the first planar conductor and the
second planar conductor; a second conductor connection part that is
provided in a position different from the position of the first
conductor connection part and connects the first planar conductor
and the second planar conductor; and an opening part that is
provided in an area on the first planar conductor, the area being
sandwiched between the first conductor connection part and the
second conductor connection part, in which: the plurality of unit
structures are arranged so that each of the first planar conductor
and the second planar conductor of the unit structure forms one
plane in a direction perpendicular to a line segment that connects
the first conductor connection part and the second conductor
connection part, and the plurality of unit structures include at
least two or more types of opening parts, the shapes of which are
different from one another. The first planar conductor, the second
planar conductor, the first conductor connection part, and the
second conductor connection part form a waveguide.
[0047] That is, the main characteristics of the antenna apparatus
according to the present invention are as follows: the waveguide
formed of the first planar conductor, the second planar conductor,
the first conductor connection part, and the second conductor
connection part is used as the host line, the capacitance
components are introduced into the series part of the host line by
the opening part or a slit in the waveguide, and at least two types
of slits having shapes different from one another are included in
one host line, whereby it is possible to obtain the leaky wave
antenna in which the radio wave radiation amount per antenna length
is controlled and to obtain the leaky wave antenna having antenna
sections in which the radio wave radiation efficiencies per antenna
length are different from one another.
[0048] The present invention may provide a wiring board on which
the aforementioned antenna apparatus is mounted or an electronic
device that includes the aforementioned antenna apparatus.
[0049] How the present invention acts and how it allows for the
control of the radiation efficiency per length in the leaky wave
antenna will be further described in detail. In general, the
waveguide which is different from the transmission line composed of
multiple conductors represented by the microstrip line through
which Transverse Electric Magnetic Waves (TEM waves) propagate and
used as the host line, originally includes inductance components in
the shunt part. Therefore, in a frequency equal to or lower than a
specific frequency, the electromagnetic waves do not propagate
through the waveguide. This predetermined frequency is called a
cutoff frequency. This cutoff frequency is generated due to the
inductance components of the shunt part of the waveguide. Since the
waveguide originally includes the inductance components in the
shunt part, the waveguide serves as the composite right/left-handed
transmission line by introducing only the capacitance into the
series part. In the present invention, the capacitance in the
series part is obtained by providing a slit or the opening part in
the waveguide.
[0050] Further, under a condition in which the phase velocity of
the electromagnetic waves in the transmission line is higher than
the phase velocity of the electromagnetic waves propagating through
the air, the phase of the electromagnetic waves propagating through
the transmission line matches the phase of the electromagnetic
waves that may propagate through the air and the electromagnetic
waves propagating through the transmission line are efficiently
radiated (leaked out) into the air. This frequency band is
particularly called a fast wave region. In the right/left-handed
transmission line formed of the waveguide and the slit, the fast
wave region is at around the zero-order resonance frequency (in the
vicinity of the frequency where the phase velocity becomes zero),
for example, whereby it is possible to efficiently radiate the
electromagnetic waves into space.
[0051] Further, in the leaky wave antenna of the composite
right/left-handed transmission line formed of the waveguide with
the slits, the electromagnetic waves propagating through the
waveguide can leak into the external space only from the slit.
Therefore, by making the shape of the slits in the waveguide
different from one another in a unit of the unit structure that
forms the leaky wave antenna, it becomes possible to control the
radio wave radiation efficiency per antenna length.
First Exemplary Embodiment
[0052] Next, with reference to the drawings, a first exemplary
embodiment of an antenna apparatus according to the present
invention will be described in detail.
(Structure of Antenna Apparatus According to First Exemplary
Embodiment)
[0053] First, a structure of the first exemplary embodiment of the
antenna apparatus according to the present invention will be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a schematic
view showing one example of a perspective view of the antenna
apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing one example
of a plan view of the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3
is a schematic view showing one example of a cross-sectional view
of the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
[0054] As shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3, the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of
unit structures 106, each including a first planar conductor 101, a
second planar conductor 102, a first conductor connection part 103,
a second conductor connection part 104, and an opening part 105,
and the plurality of unit structures 106 are arranged in a
direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to a direction (x-axis
direction), which is a direction of a line segment that connects
the first conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor
connection part 104 (FIGS. 1 to 3 show a case in which nine unit
structures 106 are arranged). The antenna apparatus according to
the present invention is thus formed.
[0055] The first planar conductor 101 and the second planar
conductor 102 are arranged in layers different from each other and
the first planar conductor 101 and the second planar conductor 102
are respectively arranged on a front-surface side and a
rear-surface side so that the respective conductors are opposed to
each other with a dielectric 107 interposed therebetween. When this
antenna apparatus is formed using a technique such as a metal
plate, the dielectric 107 may be air. When the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment is observed in a z-axis
direction, which is a direction vertical to the surface of the
first planar conductor 101, that is, a direction vertical to the
paper of FIG. 2, it is required that the first planar conductor 101
and the second planar conductor 102 at least partially overlap each
other.
[0056] The first conductor connection part 103 electrically
connects the first planar conductor 101 and the second planar
conductor 102. The second conductor connection part 104
electrically connects the first planar conductor 101 and the second
planar conductor 102 in a position different from the position of
the first conductor connection part 103. In the examples shown in
FIGS. 1 to 3, the first conductor connection part 103 is arranged
in the vicinity of the lower side of the unit structure 106 and the
second conductor connection part 104 is arranged in the vicinity of
the upper side of the unit structure 106 so that the first
conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor connection
part 104 are opposed to each other, and the first planar conductor
101 and the second planar conductor 102 are electrically connected
to each other. Further, in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an
example in which the first conductor connection part 103 and the
second conductor connection part 104 are formed of plate-like
conductors is shown.
[0057] The cross-sectional view of the antenna apparatus shown in
FIG. 3 is a view showing the xy cross section between the first
planar conductor 101 and the second planar conductor 102
(cross-sectional view when the rear-surface side of the first
planar conductor 101 is seen in the vertical direction, that is, in
the z-axis direction) and shows a state in which both the first
conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor connection
part 104 are formed of the plate-like conductors, as stated above.
However, when the antenna apparatus according to the present
invention is formed using a dielectric substrate such as the
dielectric 107, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the first
conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor connection
part 104 may be formed using conductive post arrays. FIG. 4 is a
schematic view showing one example of a cross-sectional view in a
case in which the first conductor connection part 103 and the
second conductor connection part 104 of the antenna apparatus shown
in FIG. 1 are formed of the conductive post arrays and shows one
example of a case in which the rear-surface side of the first
planar conductor 101 is observed from a position on the xy cross
section between the first planar conductor 101 and the second
planar conductor 102. While a case in which both the first
conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor connection
part 104 are formed of conductive post arrays is shown in FIG. 4,
only one of them may be formed of the conductive post array.
[0058] The opening part 105 is arranged in an area held between the
first conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor
connection part 104 on the first planar conductor 101. While an
example in which the opening part 105 is formed in a meandering
shape (that is, a zigzag shape) is shown in the examples shown in
FIGS. 1 to 4, the opening part 105 may have any other shape as long
as it is possible to obtain a capacitance value that is necessary
to operate the antenna apparatus according to the present invention
at a desired frequency.
[0059] The unit structure 106, which is a basic constituent unit as
a constituent element of the antenna apparatus, at least includes,
as stated above, the first planar conductor 101, the second planar
conductor 102, the first conductor connection part 103, the second
conductor connection part 104, and the opening part 105. In the
antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment, as
shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the plurality of unit structures 106 are
formed in a direction (y-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 4)
perpendicular to the direction of the line segment that connects
the first conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor
connection part 104 (x-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 4) so that each
of the first planar conductor 103 and the second planar conductor
104 forms one plane. There are a plurality of types (three types in
this exemplary embodiment) of unit structures 106 including the
opening parts 105 having shapes different from one another. That
there are a plurality of types of unit structures 106 including the
opening parts 105 having shapes different from one another is one
of the characteristics of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment. In the antenna apparatus according to
this exemplary embodiment, there are three types of unit structures
106: a unit structure 106A, a unit structure 106B, and a unit
structure 106C. The opening parts 105 of the unit structures 106A,
106B, and 106C are opening parts 105A, 105B, and 105C,
respectively, and have shapes different from one another. Because
of the difference in the shapes of the opening parts 105 of the
unit structures 106, the radiation efficiency per antenna length is
controlled.
(Basic Operation Principles of Structure of Antenna Apparatus
According to First Exemplary Embodiment and Effects Thereof)
[0060] Next, basic operation principles of the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4
will be described. In the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a waveguide is formed
of the first planar conductor 101, the second planar conductor 102,
the first conductor connection part 103, and the second conductor
connection part 104. The waveguide can be described by an
equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram
showing an equivalent circuit when the opening part 105 is removed
from the waveguide formed of the first planar conductor 101, the
second planar conductor 102, the first conductor connection part
103, and the second conductor connection part 104 in the antenna
apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0061] In a transmission line formed of normal multiple conductors
different from the waveguide, the equivalent circuit per unit
length is typically described using only an inductance of a series
part and a capacitance of a shunt part. On the other hand, in the
waveguide, as shown in FIG. 5, the equivalent circuit per unit
length is described so that inductances L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 are
further included in the shunt part in addition to an inductance
L.sub.3 of the series part and capacitances C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 of
the shunt part.
[0062] Further, in the unit structure 106, which is the constituent
element of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment, the opening part 105 is formed in the conductor that
forms the waveguide (i.e., first planar conductor 101) and the
capacitance components are introduced into the series part of the
waveguide. Therefore, the unit structure 106 of the antenna
apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment is described
by an equivalent circuit that may operate as the composite
right/left-handed transmission line as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a
circuit diagram showing one example of the equivalent circuit when
the unit structure 106, which is the constituent unit of the
antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment shown
in FIGS. 1 to 4, includes the opening part 105 and the series part
is described to include, besides an inductance L.sub.4 and an
inductance L.sub.6, a parallel resonance circuit of an inductance
L.sub.5 and a capacitance C.sub.5, unlike in the case shown in FIG.
5. While the inductances or the capacitances shown by the symbols
the same as those in FIG. 5 are shown in FIG. 6, the values of the
inductances and the capacitances of the circuit elements shown in
FIG. 6 and the values of the inductances and the capacitances of
the circuit elements shown in FIG. 5 may not necessarily be the
same values. For example, the inductance L.sub.1 shown in FIG. 6
and the inductance L.sub.1 shown in FIG. 5 may not necessarily be
the same value.
[0063] FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing one example of operation
principles of the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and shows one example of
a dispersion relation when an infinite number of unit structures
106, the unit structure 106 being the constituent element of the
antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment, are
arranged. The dispersion relation shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by
analyzing the unit structures 106 by the finite element method and
imposing Bloch periodic boundary conditions on an S parameter that
has been calculated.
[0064] It will be understood from FIG. 7 that the antenna apparatus
behaves as a left-handed transmission line in a frequency band of
about 800 MHz to 930 MHz and behaves as a right-handed transmission
line in a frequency band of about 950 MHz to 1350 MHz. That is, the
antenna apparatus behaves as a composite right/left-handed
transmission line. A frequency range in which a propagation
constant .beta. shown by the thick line in FIG. 7 is in the upper
left side with respect to a write line shown by the dotted line is
a range in which the phase of electromagnetic waves propagating
through the line matches the phase of electromagnetic waves that
can exist in the air, which means it corresponds to the frequency
range in which the electromagnetic waves can leak into the air.
Therefore, in the frequency range shown by the double-headed arrow
in FIG. 7, the antenna apparatus can serve as the antenna in which
the radio wave radiation efficiency is high.
[0065] As described above, the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment is formed by coupling at least two types
of unit structures including the opening parts 105 having shapes
different from each other. In the leaky wave antenna composed of
the composite right/left-handed transmission line composed of the
waveguide formed of the first planar conductor 101, the second
planar conductor 102, the first conductor connection part 103, and
the second conductor connection part 104 and the slit (opening part
105), the parts other than the slit are surrounded by conductors.
Therefore, the only part from which the electromagnetic waves
propagating through the waveguide can leak into an external space
is the slit of the opening part 105. Therefore, by providing the
slits or the opening parts 105 having at least two or more
different shapes as the slit or the opening part 105 for each unit
structure 106 provided in the waveguide, it becomes possible to
control the radio wave radiation efficiency per antenna length.
[0066] Next, the principle by which the control of the radio wave
radiation amount per antenna length can be achieved will be
described in further detail taking a case in which the shape of the
opening part 105 in the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment is a meandering shape as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4
as an example. The antenna apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 as an
example of the first exemplary embodiment includes the unit
structure 106A, the unit structure 106B, and the unit structure
106C respectively having the opening part 105A, the opening part
105B, and the opening part 105C whose shapes are different from one
another. In the following description, with reference to a
schematic view in FIG. 8, it will be explained that it is possible
to control the radiation efficiency per antenna length by taking
one of the unit structure 106A, the unit structure 106B, and the
unit structure 106C, which are three types of unit structures of
the constituent element that forms the antenna apparatus, as one
example.
[0067] FIG. 8 is a schematic view for describing the operation
principles of the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment and shows a state of the electric field of a
specific phase in the opening part 105 (one of the opening part
105A, the opening part 105B, and the opening part 105C) in the unit
structure 106 (one of the unit structure 106A, the unit structure
106B, and the unit structure 106C). Needless to say, an electric
field the same as the one shown in FIG. 8 is also formed in the two
other types of the opening parts 105.
[0068] The slit (opening part 105) having a meandering shape shown
in FIGS. 1 to 4 as the shape of the opening part 105 can be roughly
separated into line elements that contribute to the radiation of
the electromagnetic waves (i.e., line elements that do not include
opposing parts) and line elements that do not contribute to the
radiation of the electromagnetic waves (i.e., line elements having
opposing parts where the directions of the electric fields become
opposite to each other). In an opening 801 formed of the line
elements in which electric fields in the x-axis direction shown as
vertical arrows in FIG. 8 are generated, there are line elements
that are opposed to each other and the directions of the electric
fields of the opening 801 formed of the line elements adjacent to
each other become opposite to each other. Therefore, the
electromagnetic waves that leak into the space from the openings
801 interfere with each other and then cancel each other, which
means that the openings 801 do not effectively contribute to the
radiation of the electromagnetic waves. On the other hand,
regarding the electromagnetic waves that leak from an opening 802
formed of the line elements in which electric fields in the y-axis
direction shown as horizontal arrows in FIG. 8 are generated, there
are no line elements that are opposed to each other. Therefore, the
directions of the electric fields are the same in all of the
openings 802, and the electromagnetic waves do not interfere with
each other and thus do not cancel each other.
[0069] Therefore, in the slit (opening part 105) having a
meandering shape, the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic
waves can be adjusted by adjusting a length L of the opening 802.
In reality, however, when the length L of the opening 802 is
changed in order to suppress a change in the frequency of the Bloch
impedance and the dispersion relation of the composite
right/left-handed transmission line, other parameters (e.g., the
length of the opening 801, the waveguide width (distance between
the first conductor connection part 103 and the second conductor
connection part 104), or the length of the unit structure) need to
be adjusted together with the shape of the opening part 105.
[0070] FIG. 9 is a graph showing one example of the result of the
analysis of the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic waves
of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment and shows a graph of the radiation efficiency of the
leaky wave antenna in the antenna apparatus when seven unit
structures 106 including the opening parts 105 of the same shape
are arranged.
[0071] In FIG. 9, three types of leaky wave antennas formed of the
unit structures 106 including the opening parts 105 whose lengths
of the openings 802 (lengths L of the openings 802 in FIG. 8) are
different from one another are compared. In FIG. 9, the radiation
efficiencies of the antenna apparatus in which the lengths L of the
openings 802 are 1.8 mm, 3.6 mm, and 4.5 mm are calculated in the
case in which the seven unit structures 10 have the opening parts
105 having the same shape. The radiation efficiencies of the
antenna apparatus when the lengths L of the openings 802 are 1.8
mm, 3.6 mm, and 4.5 mm are respectively shown by line graphs of the
thin solid line, the broken line, and the thick solid line. That
is, among the three types of unit structures 106, the radio
efficiency of the electromagnetic waves when seven unit structures
106A including the opening parts 105A whose length L of the opening
802 is 1.8 mm are arranged is shown by the line graph of the thin
solid line, the radio efficiency of the electromagnetic waves when
seven unit structures 106B including the opening parts 105A whose
length L of the opening 802 is 3.6 mm are arranged is shown by the
line graph of the thin solid line, and the radio efficiency of the
electromagnetic waves when seven unit structures 106C including the
opening parts 105A whose length L of the opening 802 is 4.5 mm are
arranged is shown by the line graph of the thin solid line.
[0072] FIG. 11 is a diagram for further describing one example of
the operation principles of the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment, and shows a dispersion relation when an
infinite number of unit structures 106A including the opening parts
105A, unit structures 106B including the opening parts 105B, and
unit structures 106C including the opening parts 105C, the opening
parts 105A to 105C being different from one another, are each
periodically arranged, similar to the case shown in FIG. 7. The
dispersion relation shown in FIG. 11 is obtained by analyzing each
of the unit structure 106A, the unit structure 106B, and the unit
structure 106C by the finite element method using the analysis
method similar to that of FIG. 7 and imposing the Bloch periodic
boundary conditions on the S parameter that has been
calculated.
[0073] It will be understood from FIG. 11 that in any one of the
three types of unit structures 106A, unit structures 106B, and unit
structures 106C, the antenna apparatus serves as the composite
right/left-handed transmission line whose characteristic is
switched from the left-handed transmission line to the right-handed
transmission line at around 930 MHz. Similar to the case shown in
FIG. 7, a frequency range in which a propagation constant .beta. is
in the upper left side with respect to the write line shown by the
dotted line in FIG. 11 is a range in which the phase of the
electromagnetic waves propagating through the line matches the
phase of the electromagnetic waves that can exist in the air, which
means it corresponds to the frequency range in which the
electromagnetic waves can leak into the air.
[0074] That is, as shown in the dispersion curve in FIG. 11, it
will be understood that the dispersion relation of the
electromagnetic waves propagating through the composite
right/left-handed transmission line does not greatly vary among the
composite right/left-handed transmission lines in which an infinite
number of unit structures 106A including the opening parts 105A,
unit structures 106B including the opening parts 105B, and unit
structures 106C including the opening parts 105C, the opening parts
105A to 105C being different from one another, are each
periodically arranged.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 9, in the slit (opening part 105) having a
meandering shape, the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic
waves can be improved as the length L of the opening 802 is made
larger. It will therefore be understood that it is possible to
adjust the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic waves by
adjusting the length L of the opening 802.
[0076] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing one example of an
electromagnetic field analysis model for analyzing the radiation
efficiency of the electromagnetic waves of the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment and shows an example of
the electromagnetic field analysis model of the leaky wave antenna
when seven unit structures 106A including the opening parts 105A
whose length L of the openings 802 is 1.8 mm are arranged. The
length of the unit structures 106A in the direction in which the
unit structures 106A are arranged is 68.5 mm. As described with
reference to FIG. 9, the radiation efficiency of the
electromagnetic waves is improved in the order of the unit
structure 106A including the opening part 105A, the unit structure
106B including the opening part 105B, and the unit structure 106C
including the opening part 105C as the length L of the opening 802
increases. It will therefore be understood that it is possible to
control the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic waves of
the unit structure 106 by adjusting the length L of the opening 802
as described above.
[0077] Further, the length of the unit structures 106B in the
direction in which the unit structures 106B are arranged and the
length of the unit structures 106C in the direction in which the
unit structures 106C are arranged used for the analysis of FIG. 9
are set to 68.5 mm, which is the same as that in the case in which
the unit structures 106A are arranged as shown in FIG. 10. That is,
as shown in the result of the analysis shown in FIG. 9, the length
of the unit structures 106 in the direction in which the unit
structures 106 are arranged is not used as the adjustment parameter
for adjusting the radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic
waves. In other words, by adjusting the length L of the opening
802, it is possible to control the radiation efficiency per length
of the unit structures 106 in the direction in which the unit
structures 106 are arranged (in this case, per length of 68.5 mm),
that is, the radiation efficiency per antenna length. While the
length of the unit structures 106 in the direction in which the
unit structures 106 are arranged is not used as the adjustment
parameter in this example for the sake of convenience of the
description, it may be naturally used as the adjustment
parameter.
[0078] FIGS. 12 and 13 are diagrams for further describing one
example of the operation principles of the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment from an aspect
different from the one shown in FIG. 11. FIGS. 12 and 13 describe
one example of the frequency characteristics regarding the absolute
values of the real part and the imaginary part of the Bloch
impedance when an infinite number of unit structures 106A including
the opening parts 105A, unit structures 106B including the opening
parts 105B, and unit structures 106C including the opening parts
105C that are each periodically arranged, the opening parts 105A to
105C being different from one another, are seen from the end
surface of the unit structures 106.
[0079] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the frequency characteristics
of the Bloch impedance in the three types of composite
right/left-handed transmission lines having a structure in which
the infinite number of unit structures 106A including the opening
parts 105A, unit structures 106B including the opening parts 105B,
and unit structures 106C including the opening parts 105C, the
opening parts 105A to 105C being different from one another, are
each periodically arranged does not greatly vary in either
case.
[0080] That is, as shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13, the dispersion
relation and the Bloch impedance that determine the characteristic
of the composite right/left-handed transmission line do not greatly
vary among the unit structures 106A including the opening parts
105A, the unit structures 106B including the opening parts 105B,
and the unit structures 106C including the opening parts 105C, the
lengths L of the openings 802 being different from one another.
Therefore, even when one leaky wave antenna is formed of the three
types of unit structures 106A, unit structures 106B, and unit
structures 106C mixed with each other, the composite
right/left-handed transmission line operates in a way substantially
similar to the way in which the composite right/left-handed
transmission line composed of a single type of unit structures
operates.
[0081] Further, also from the result of the analysis of the
radiation efficiency of the electromagnetic waves in FIG. 9, by
forming the leaky wave antenna in which the unit structures 106A
including the opening parts 105A, the unit structures 106B
including the opening parts 105B, and the unit structures 106C
including the opening parts 105C, the lengths L of the openings 802
being different from one another, are mixedly arranged, it is
possible to obtain the leaky wave antenna in which the radiation
efficiency per length of the unit structures 106 in the direction
in which the unit structures 106 are arranged is controlled.
[0082] In the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment described above, the case in which the opening part 105
has a meandering shape and is formed by combining rectangles folded
in a zig-zag shape has been described. Needless to say, however,
even when the opening part 105 has a more complicated meandering
shape, by adjusting the length of the opening capable of radiating
radio waves without being affected by the interference between the
line elements for each unit structure 106, it is possible to obtain
an antenna apparatus in which the radiation amount of the
electromagnetic waves per length of the unit structures 106 in the
direction in which the unit structures 106 are arranged, that is,
the radiation amount per antenna length, is controlled, based on
the exactly the same principle as that in the case when the opening
part 105 as that in the case in which the opening part 105 has a
meandering shape and is formed by combining rectangles folded in a
zig-zag shape. The adjustment parameter when the opening part 105
having such a complicated shape is the length of the opening that
does not radiate electric waves due to the interference and the
waveguide width (distance between the first conductor connection
part 103 and the second conductor connection part 104) or the
length of the unit structures 106 in the direction in which the
unit structures 106 are arranged can be easily assumed.
(First Modified Example of First Exemplary Embodiment)
[0083] Next, a first modified example according to the first
exemplary embodiment will be described. In this first modified
example, the opening part 105 has a linear shape, different from
the one described above which is formed in a meandering shape.
Further, an example in which the opening part 105 having the linear
shape is formed in the direction that is perpendicular to the
direction in which the unit structures 106 are arranged, that is,
in the x-axis direction that is perpendicular to the y-axis
direction, is shown. In this first modified example, the opening
part 105 having the linear shape may not be formed in the direction
that is perpendicular to the direction in which the unit structures
106 are arranged and the opening part 105 having the linear shape
may be tilted by a predetermined angle from the direction in which
the unit structures 106 are arranged. When the antenna apparatus is
formed of the unit structures 106 including the opening parts 105
having the linear shape, the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment is formed by mixedly arranging at least
two or more types of unit structures 106 including the opening
parts 105 having lengths different from one another.
[0084] When the opening part 105 has a linear shape, different from
the case in which the opening part 105 has a meandering shape
described above, there is no part in which radiation of
electromagnetic waves disappear due to the mutual interference.
Therefore, it is possible to control the radiation efficiency per
antenna length by simply adjusting the length of the opening part
105. However, a simple change in the length of the opening part 105
causes significant changes in the dispersion relation of the
composite right/left-handed transmission line and the frequency
characteristic of the Bloch impedance.
[0085] In the example in which the opening part 105 has a
meandering shape described above as the operation principles, the
case in which the radiation efficiency per antenna length is
controlled while keeping the dispersion relation and the Bloch
impedance, which may be changed according to the change in the
length of the opening 802, to be substantially the same without
greatly changing them by adjusting the length of the opening 801 or
the waveguide width (the distance between the first conductor
connection part 103 and the second conductor connection part 104)
has been shown. However, when the opening part 105 has a linear
shape, as a result of the mutual interference of the opening part
105, the part corresponding to the opening 801 in the case of FIG.
8 that does not contribute to the radiation of the electromagnetic
waves, that is, the part used as the adjustment parameter of the
dispersion relation or the Bloch impedance, does not exist in the
opening part 105. It is therefore required to introduce a new
adjustment parameter.
[0086] FIG. 14 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure different from that of the antenna apparatus according to
the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and shows an example
in which a chip capacitance 1401 is used as the adjustment
parameter when the unit structure 106 including the opening part
105 having the linear shape is used.
[0087] Further, the example shown in FIG. 14 shows a case of the
antenna apparatus in which nine unit structures 106, each including
the opening part 105 having the linear shape, are arranged in the
y-axis direction, and unit structures 106A1 including opening parts
105A1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the longest, unit
structures 106B1 including opening parts 105B1 whose length of the
opening parts 105 is the second longest, and unit structures 106C1
including opening parts 105C1 whose length of the opening parts 105
is the shortest are arranged in order along the y-axis direction in
such a way that the lengths of the opening parts 105 become
gradually shorter for each of three successive unit structures
106.
[0088] Further, in the example shown in FIG. 14, in order to
compensate for the frequency change of the radio wave radiation
characteristic of the unit structure 106 due to a change in the
length of the opening part 105, for each of the unit structures
106, a chip capacitance 1401 is attached to the vicinity of the
center of the opening part 105 so that the chip capacitance 1401
spans the opening part 105. In this case, for the purpose of
compensating for a reduction in capacitance values, which is due to
the length of the opening parts 105 becoming shorter for each of
the three unit structures 106 in the order of the opening parts
105A1, the opening parts 105B1, and the opening parts 105C1, chip
capacitances 1401A whose capacitance value is the smallest are
attached to the opening parts 105A1, chip capacitances 1401B whose
capacitance value is the second smallest are attached to the
opening parts 105B1, and chip capacitances 1401C whose capacitance
value is the largest are attached to the opening parts 105C1 so
that the capacitance values of the chip capacitances 1401 become
gradually large.
[0089] As shown in FIG. 14, when the opening part 105 has a linear
shape, it becomes possible to control the radiation efficiency
while keeping the dispersion relation and the Bloch impedance,
which may be changed according to the change in the length of the
opening part 105, to be substantially the same without greatly
changing them by adjusting the value of the chip capacitance 1401
and the waveguide width (the distance between the first conductor
connection part 103 and the second conductor connection part
104).
[0090] The example shown in FIG. 14 is a configuration example in
which the chip capacitance 1401 is attached to the vicinity of the
center of the opening part 105. However, the present invention is
not limited to this case. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, it is
also possible to compensate for the change in the characteristic of
the unit structure 106 due to the change in the length of the
opening part 105 by changing the position of the opening part 105
to which the chip capacitance 1401 is attached depending on the
length of the opening part 105. FIG. 15 is a schematic view for
describing one example of the case in which the frequency
characteristic of the Bloch impedance and the dispersion relation
are adjusted in the position of the opening part 105 where the chip
capacitance 1401 is attached, different from the case shown in FIG.
14 in the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment, and shows one example when the position of the opening
part 105 where the chip capacitance 1401 is attached as the
adjustment parameter in the case of the unit structure 106
including the opening part 105 having the linear shape is changed
depending on the length of the opening part 105.
[0091] In the example shown in FIG. 15, unlike the case shown in
FIG. 14, a pair of chip capacitances 1401 attached to each of the
opening parts 105 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the
central position of each of the opening parts 105. In this example,
it is assumed that the chip capacitances 1401 have the same
capacitance value regardless of the length of the opening part 105
to which the chip capacitance 1401 is attached.
[0092] The electric field excited in the opening part 105 becomes
maximum in the vicinity of the center of the opening part 105 and
becomes zero in the end parts of the opening part 105. That is, the
chip capacitance 1401 attached to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 is strongly excited and effectively operates as if
a large capacitance value was loaded. On the other hand, the chip
capacitance 1401 attached to the vicinity of the end part of the
opening part 105 is weakly excited and effectively operates as if a
small capacitance value was loaded. That is, even when the chip
capacitances 1401 have the same capacitance value, they operate as
the chip capacitances whose effective capacitance values are
different from one another depending on the positions to which they
are attached.
[0093] Similar to the case shown in FIG. 14, the example shown in
FIG. 15 shows a case of the antenna apparatus in which nine unit
structures 106, each including the opening part 105 having the
linear shape, are arranged in the y-axis direction, and unit
structures 106A1 including opening parts 105A1 whose length of the
opening parts 105 is the longest, unit structures 106B1 including
opening parts 105B1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
second longest, and unit structures 106C1 including opening parts
105C1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the shortest are
arranged in order along the y-axis direction in such a way that the
lengths of the opening parts 105 become gradually shorter for each
of three successive unit structures 106.
[0094] In the above case, in order to compensate for the reduction
in the capacitance value of the unit structure 106, which is due to
the length of the opening part 105 becoming shorter in the y-axis
direction, it is required to further increase the capacitance value
of the chip capacitance 1401. Therefore, in the example shown in
FIG. 15, for the purpose of compensating for the reduction in the
capacitance values, which is due to the length of the opening parts
105 becoming shorter for each of the three unit structures 106 in
the order of the opening parts 105A1, the opening parts 105B1, and
the opening parts 105C1, the positions of the opening parts 105
where the pair of chip capacitances 1401 are attached in such a way
that the chip capacitances 1041 span the opening parts 105 are
gradually changed from the end parts of the opening parts 105 to
the center of the opening parts 105 as the lengths of the opening
parts 105 become shorter so that the effective capacitance values
of the chip capacitances 1401 become gradually larger.
[0095] That is, chip capacitances 1401A1 are attached to the
vicinity of the end parts of the opening parts 105A1 in the unit
structures 106A1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
longest, chip capacitances 1401B1 are attached so that they become
close to the center of the opening parts 105B1 in the unit
structures 106B1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
second longest, and chip capacitances 1401C1 are attached to the
vicinity of the center of the opening parts 105C1 in the unit
structures 106C1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
shortest. Accordingly, even when the chip capacitances 1401 having
the same capacitance value are used, by changing the position of
the opening parts 105 to which the chip capacitances 1401 are
attached depending on the length of the opening parts 105, it is
possible to compensate for the changes in the capacitance values
due to the change in the lengths of the opening parts 105.
[0096] The capacitance values of the chip capacitances 1401 to be
attached to the respective opening parts 105 may not be the same
and may be naturally different from one another as long as the
characteristic may be desirably adjusted.
(Second Modified Example of First Exemplary Embodiment)
[0097] Next, a second modified example according to the first
exemplary embodiment will be described. In the second modified
example, when the shape of the opening parts 105 has a linear shape
as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a case in which adjustable capacitance
components are formed by attaching conductive patches to the
opening parts 105 as the adjustment parameter instead of attaching
the chip capacitances 1401 to the opening parts 105 will be
described. In the second modified example, a case in which the
opening parts 105 having the linear shape are formed in the
direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the unit
structures 106 are arranged, that is, in the x-axis direction that
is perpendicular to the y-axis direction, is described, similar to
the cases shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 described in the first modified
example. In the second modified example as well, the opening parts
105 having the linear shape may not be formed in the direction that
is perpendicular to the direction in which the unit structures 106
are arranged and the opening parts 105 having the linear shape may
be tilted by a predetermined angle from the direction in which the
unit structures 106 are arranged.
[0098] FIG. 16 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from the structures shown in FIGS. 1, 14, and
15 and shows an example in which the capacitance components are
formed by attaching conductive patches (e.g., island-shaped
conductors 1601 having a rectangular plane shape) to the vicinity
of the center of the opening parts 105 so that the conductive
patches become opposed to the first planar conductor 101 in place
of the chip capacitances 1401 as the adjustment parameter when the
unit structures 106 including the opening parts 105 having the
linear shape are used.
[0099] Further, the example shown in FIG. 16 shows, similar to the
cases shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a case of the antenna apparatus in
which nine unit structures 106, each including the opening part 105
having the linear shape, are arranged in the y-axis direction, and
unit structures 106A1 including opening parts 105A1 whose length of
the opening parts 105 is the longest, unit structures 106B1
including opening parts 105B1 whose length of the opening parts 105
is the second longest, and unit structures 106C1 including opening
parts 105C1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the shortest
are arranged in order along the y-axis direction in such a way that
the lengths of the opening parts 105 become gradually shorter for
each of three successive unit structures 106.
[0100] In the above case, in order to compensate for the reduction
in the capacitance values of the unit structures 106, which is due
to the length of the opening parts 105 becoming shorter in the
y-axis direction, it is required to gradually increase the areas of
the island-shaped conductors 1601 and to gradually increase the
capacitance values formed between the island-shaped conductors 1601
and the first planar conductor 101. Therefore, in the example shown
in FIG. 16, in order to compensate for the frequency change of the
Bloch impedance and the dispersion relation, which is due to the
change in the length of the opening part 105, the island-shaped
conductor 1601 is attached to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 so that the island-shaped conductor 1601 spans the
opening part 105 and is opposed to the first planar conductor 101
for each unit structure 106, whereby the capacitance components are
formed. For the purpose of compensating for the reduction in
capacitance values, which is due to the length of the opening parts
105 becoming shorter for each of the three unit structures 106 in
the order of the opening part 105A1, the opening part 105B1, and
the opening part 105C1, the areas of the island-shaped conductors
1601 arranged so that they span the opening parts 105 are gradually
increased so that the capacitance components that are formed become
gradually larger as the lengths of the opening parts 105 become
shorter.
[0101] That is, island-shaped conductors 1601A having the smallest
size are attached to the opening parts 105A1 of the unit structures
106A1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the longest,
island-shaped conductors 1601B having the second smallest size are
attached to the opening parts 105B1 of the unit structures 106B1
whose length of the opening parts 105 is the second longest, and
island-shaped conductors 1601C having the largest size are attached
to the opening parts 105C1 of the unit structures 106C1 whose
length of the opening parts 105 is the shortest. Therefore, by
changing the area of the island-shaped conductor 1601 arranged in
the opening part 105 depending on the length of the opening part
105, it is possible to compensate for the change in the capacitance
values due to the change in the lengths of the opening part
105.
[0102] The island-shaped conductor 1601 arranged in the vicinity of
the center of the opening part 105 so that it spans the opening
part 105 may be arranged either on the upper-surface side of the
first planar conductor 101 or on the lower-surface side thereof.
Further, when the island-shaped conductor 1601 is used as well, the
adjustment parameter based on the exactly the same principle as
that of the case in which the position of the opening part 105 to
which the chip capacitance 1401 is attached is changed according to
the length of the opening part 105 in the first modified example of
the first exemplary embodiment may be applied.
[0103] That is, the position where the island-shaped conductor 1601
is arranged is not limited to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 and the position on the opening part 105 to which
the island-shaped conductor 1601 is attached may be adjusted
depending on the length of the opening part 105, whereby it may be
possible to compensate for the change in the characteristic of the
unit structure 106 due to the change in the length of the opening
part 105. Further, when the adjustment is performed by the position
where the island-shaped conductor 1601 is arranged, similar to the
case in the first modified example of the first exemplary
embodiment, the area of the island-shaped conductor 1601 may vary
depending on the length of the opening part 105 or may be fixed
regardless of the length of the opening part 105.
[0104] While the configuration example in which the island-shaped
conductor 1601, which is one example of the conductive patch, is
arranged substantially at the center of the opening part 105 so as
to span the opening part 105 as the adjustment parameter has been
shown in the example shown in FIG. 16, the present invention is not
limited to such a case. As shown in FIG. 17, for example, besides
the island-shaped conductor 1601, which is the conductive path, a
via that is electrically connected to the first planar conductor
101, that is, a third conductor connection part 1701, may be
arranged in one end of the island-shaped conductor 1601 in the
y-axis direction. FIG. 17 is a schematic view for describing a
configuration example of a case in which one end of the
island-shaped conductor 1601 is electrically connected to the first
planar conductor 101 in the antenna apparatus according to the
first exemplary embodiment and shows an example in which the third
conductor connection part 1701 is further connected to one end of
the island-shaped conductor 1601 in the y-axis direction attached
as the adjustment parameter of the unit structure 106 including the
opening part 105 having the linear shape and one end of the
island-shaped conductor 1601 and the first planar conductor 101 are
electrically connected to each other.
[0105] The example shown in FIG. 17 shows, similar to the case
shown in FIG. 16, a case of the antenna apparatus in which nine
unit structures 106, each including the opening part 105 having the
linear shape, are arranged in the y-axis direction and unit
structures 106A1 including opening parts 105A1 whose length of the
opening parts 105 is the longest, unit structures 106B1 including
opening parts 105B1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
second longest, and unit structures 106C1 including opening parts
105C1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the shortest are
arranged in order along the y-axis direction in such a way that the
lengths of the opening parts 105 become gradually shorter for each
of three successive unit structures 106.
[0106] In the above case, in order to compensate for the frequency
change of the Bloch impedance and the dispersion relation, which is
due to the change in the length of the opening part 105, similar to
the case shown in FIG. 16, the island-shaped conductor 1601 is
attached to the vicinity of the center of the opening part 105 so
that the island-shaped conductor 1601 spans the opening part 105
and is opposed to the first planar conductor 101 for each unit
structure 106, whereby the capacitance components are formed.
However, unlike the structure shown in FIG. 16 as one example, in
each of the island-shaped conductors 1601, the third conductor
connection part 1701 is connected to the vicinity of one end of the
island-shaped conductor 1601 that spans the opening part 105 in the
y-axis direction and one end of the island-shaped conductor 1601 is
electrically connected to the first planar conductor 101 by the
third conductor connection part 1701.
[0107] Similar to the case shown in FIG. 16, for the purpose of
compensating for the reduction in capacitance values, which is due
to the length of the opening parts 105 becoming shorter for each of
the three unit structures 106 in the order of the opening part
105A1, the opening part 105B1, and the opening part 105C1, the
areas of the island-shaped conductors 1601 arranged so that they
span the opening parts 105 are gradually increased so that the
capacitance components that are formed become gradually larger as
the lengths of the opening parts 105 become shorter. Therefore,
also when the third conductor connection part 1701 is connected to
one end of the island-shaped conductor 1601 in the y-axis direction
as shown in FIG. 17, the area of the island-shaped conductor 1601
arranged to be opposed to the opening part 105 is changed depending
on the length of the opening part 105, whereby it is possible to
compensate for the change in the capacitance values due to the
change in the length of the opening part 105.
[0108] In the configuration example shown in FIG. 17 as one
example, the third conductor connection part 1701 is formed of a
conductive post or a conductive post array.
[0109] Further, the island-shaped conductor 1601 that is arranged
substantially at the center of the opening part 105 so as to span
the opening part 105 and is connected to the third conductor
connection part 1701 may be arranged either on the upper-surface
side of the first planar conductor 101 or on the lower-surface side
thereof, similar to the case shown in FIG. 16. Further, in the case
in which the island-shaped conductor 1601 that is connected to the
third conductor connection part 1701 is used as well, the
adjustment parameter based on the exactly the same principle as
that of the case in which the position of the opening part 105 to
which the chip capacitance 1401 is attached is changed according to
the length of the opening part 105 in the first modified example of
the first exemplary embodiment may be applied.
[0110] That is, the position where the island-shaped conductor 1601
that is connected to the third conductor connection part 1701 is
arranged is not limited to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 and the position on the opening part 105 in which
the island-shaped conductor 1601 that is connected to the third
conductor connection part 1701 is arranged may be adjusted
depending on the length of the opening part 105, whereby it may be
possible to compensate for the change in the characteristics of the
unit structure 106 due to the change in the length of the opening
part 105. Further, also in the case in which the adjustment is
performed by the position where the island-shaped conductor 1601
that is connected to the third conductor connection part 1701 is
arranged, similar to the case shown in FIG. 16, the area of the
island-shaped conductor 1601 may vary depending on the length of
the opening part 105 or may be fixed regardless of the length of
the opening part 105.
(Third Modified Example of First Exemplary Embodiment)
[0111] Next, a third modified example of the first exemplary
embodiment will be described. In the third modified example as
well, in the case in which the opening part 105 is formed in the
linear shape as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, similar to the case shown
in FIG. 17 in the second modified example, the conductive patch and
the third conductor connection part are used as the elements that
form the capacitance components. However, in the third modified
example, the shape of the island-shaped conductor 1601, which is
one example of the conductive patch, is different from the
rectangular plane shape as shown in FIG. 17. In the third modified
example, the conductive patch (e.g., the island-shaped conductor
1601) and the third conductor connection part 1701 form an open
stub. The opening part 105 having the linear shape is formed,
similar to the cases shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 according to the
first modified example and FIGS. 16 and 17 according to the second
modified example, in the direction that is perpendicular to the
direction in which the unit structures 106 are arranged, that is,
in the x-axis direction that is perpendicular to the y-axis
direction. In the third modified example as well, the opening part
105 having the linear shape may not be formed in the direction that
is perpendicular to the direction in which the unit structures 106
are arranged and the opening part 105 having the linear shape may
be tilted by a predetermined angle from the direction in which the
unit structures 106 are arranged.
[0112] FIG. 18 is a schematic view for describing one example of a
structure of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from the structures shown in FIGS. 1, 14, and
17 and shows an example in which, as the adjustment parameter of
the unit structure 106 including the opening part 105 having the
linear shape, a conductive patch (e.g., strip-shaped island-shaped
conductor 1601) is attached to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 so that the conductive patch becomes opposed to
the first planar conductor 101 and the third conductor connection
part 1701 that electrically connects the strip-shaped island-shaped
conductor 1601 and the first planar conductor 101 is attached, so
that the open stub is formed and the capacitance components are
formed. By electrically connecting the first planar conductor 101
and the strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601 by the third
conductor connection part 1701 connected to one end of the
strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601 in the y-axis direction,
the island-shaped conductor 1601 and the third conductor connection
part 1701 form an open stub using the first planar conductor 101 as
a return path. In order to allow the island-shaped conductor 1601,
which is one example of the conductive patch, and the third
conductor connection part 1701 to operate as the open stub, it is
preferable that the third conductor connection part 1701 be
provided in the vicinity of the opening part 105 and the third
conductor connection part 1701 connect a part in the vicinity of
one end of the strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601, which is
one example of the conductive patch, and the first planar conductor
101. While the case in which the island-shaped conductor 1601 has
an elongated strip shape in the y-axis direction is shown in FIG.
17, the island-shaped conductor 1601 may have another shape as long
as it can serve as the transmission line.
[0113] The capacitance value of the capacitance components to be
formed varies depending on the length of the open stub. In the
example shown in FIG. 18, when the strip-shaped island-shaped
conductor 1601, which is one example of the conductive patch, and
the conductor connection part 1701 operate as the open stub, the
capacitance value of the capacitance components to be formed
typically varies depending on the length of the elongated
strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601 (as shown in FIG. 18, the
length of the strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601 in the
y-axis direction which is a longer side: the island-shaped
conductor 1601 being short in the x-axis direction and long in the
y-axis direction).
[0114] The example shown in FIG. 18 shows, similar to the case
shown in FIG. 16, a case of the antenna apparatus in which nine
unit structures 106, each including the opening part 105 having the
linear shape, are arranged in the y-axis direction and unit
structures 106A1 including opening parts 105A1 whose length of the
opening parts 105 is the longest, unit structures 106B1 including
opening parts 105B1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the
second longest, and unit structures 106C1 including opening parts
105C1 whose length of the opening parts 105 is the shortest are
arranged in order along the y-axis direction in such a way that the
lengths of the opening parts 105 become gradually shorter for each
of three successive unit structures 106.
[0115] In the above case, in order to compensate for the frequency
change of the Bloch impedance and the dispersion relation occurring
due to the change in the length of the opening part 105, similar to
the case shown in FIG. 17, for each of the unit structures 106, the
strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601 is attached so that one
end of the island-shaped conductor 1601 to which the third
conductor connection part 1701 (e.g., conductive post) is connected
is arranged in the vicinity of the center of each of the opening
parts 105. Further, the strip-shaped island-shaped conductor 1601
is attached to the opening part 105 so that the island-shaped
conductor 1601 becomes longer in the y-axis direction and the
island-shaped conductor 1601 becomes opposed to the first planar
conductor 101, whereby the open stub is formed and the capacitance
components are formed.
[0116] Similar to the case shown in FIG. 17, for the purpose of
compensating for the reduction in capacitance values, which is due
to the length of the opening parts 105 becoming shorter for each of
the three unit structures 106 in the order of the opening part
105A1, the opening part 105B1, and the opening part 105C1, the
length of the y-axis direction of the island-shaped conductor 1601
having one end connected to the third conductor connection part
1701 in the vicinity of the opening part 105 is gradually increased
so that the effective capacitance value of the capacitance
components that are formed becomes gradually larger as the length
of the opening part 105 becomes shorter.
[0117] That is, shortest island-shaped conductors 1601A1 are
arranged in the opening parts 105A1 of the unit structures 106A1
whose length of the opening parts 105 is the longest, second
shortest island-shaped conductors 1601B1 are arranged in the
opening parts 105B1 of the unit structures 106B1 whose length of
the opening parts 105 is the second longest, and longest
island-shaped conductors 1601C1 are arranged in the opening parts
105C1 of the unit structures 106C1 whose length of the opening
parts 105 is the shortest. Therefore, by changing the length of the
open stub, that is, the length of the strip-shaped island-shaped
conductor 1601 arranged in the opening part 105 depending on the
length of the opening part 105, it is possible to compensate for
the change in the capacitance values due to the change in the
lengths of the opening part 105.
[0118] In the configuration example shown in FIG. 18 as one
example, the third conductor connection part 1701 is formed of a
conductive post array.
[0119] Further, the island-shaped conductor 1601 that has one end
substantially at the center of the opening part 105 and is
connected to the third conductor connection part 1701 may be
arranged either on the upper-surface side of the first planar
conductor 101 or on the lower-surface side thereof, similar to the
case shown in FIG. 16. Further, also when the third conductor
connection part 1701 and the strip-shaped island-shaped conductor
1601 form the open stub, the adjustment parameter based on the
exactly the same principle as that of the case in which the
position of the opening part 105 to which the chip capacitance 1401
is attached is changed according to the length of the opening part
105 in the first modified example of the first exemplary embodiment
may be applied.
[0120] That is, the position where the island-shaped conductor 1601
that is connected to the third conductor connection part 1701 is
arranged is not limited to the vicinity of the center of the
opening part 105 and the position on the opening part 105 in which
the island-shaped conductor 1601 that is connected to the third
conductor connection part 1701 is arranged may be adjusted
depending on the length of the opening part 105, whereby it may be
possible to compensate for the change in the characteristics of the
unit structure 106 due to the change in the length of the opening
part 105. Further, when the adjustment is performed by the position
where the island-shaped conductor 1601 that is connected to the
third conductor connection part 1701 is arranged, similar to the
case shown in FIG. 16, the shape and the length of the
island-shaped conductor 1601 may vary depending on the length of
the opening part 105 or they may be fixed regardless of the length
of the opening part 105.
(Fourth Modified Example of First Exemplary Embodiment)
[0121] In the aforementioned description of the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment, the structure in which
it becomes possible to control the radiation efficiency per antenna
length by changing the length of the part of the opening part 105
which contributes to the radiation of the electromagnetic waves
according to the unit structures 106 that have been arranged has
been described. However, the present invention is not limited to
this case. Naturally, it may be possible to obtain the similar
effects even when the shape of the opening part 105 is changed by
another method.
(Fifth Modified Example of First Exemplary Embodiment)
[0122] In the aforementioned description of the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment, the case in which the
opening 802, which contributes to the radiation of the
electromagnetic waves of the opening part 105, is formed in the
x-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the y-axis direction,
which is the direction in which the unit structures 106 are
arranged or the direction in which power propagates through the
waveguide that forms the antenna. In this case, regarding polarized
waves of the electromagnetic waves radiated from the antenna
apparatus, polarized waves in the power propagation direction
(y-axis direction) of the waveguide are radiated. The antenna
apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to such
a case. When the opening part 105 is formed to have a meandering
shape, for example, as shown in FIG. 19, a structure in which the
opening part 802 that contributes to the radiation of the opening
part 105 is tilted in the x-axis direction by a predetermined angle
with respect to the direction in which the unit structures 106 are
arranged, that is, the power propagation direction of the waveguide
that forms the antenna, or in other words, the y-axis direction,
which is the longitudinal direction of the line, may be
employed.
[0123] FIG. 19 is a schematic view of the plan view of the antenna
apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment different
from that shown in FIG. 2 and shows a case in which the opening
part 105 is tilted by 45 degrees in the x-axis direction from the
y-axis direction, which is a direction in which the unit structures
106 are arranged or the power propagation direction of the
waveguide that forms the antenna. The polarized waves of the
electromagnetic waves radiated from the antenna apparatus that
includes the opening part 105 that is tilted is tilted by 45
degrees in the x-axis direction from the y-axis direction according
to the tilt angle of the opening part 105.
[0124] The tilt angle of the opening part 105 is not limited to 45
degrees and it is needless to say that the opening part 105 may
have a desired tilt angle as long as the opening part 105 is
excited by the electromagnetic waves propagating through the
waveguide. Further, the shape of the opening part 105 that is
tilted is not limited to the meandering shape and the opening part
105 may have a desired shape. The opening part 105 may have, for
example, a linear shape.
[0125] Further, the antenna apparatus as shown in FIG. 20 may be
formed. FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing an example of the plan
view of the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment different from that shown in FIG. 19 and shows a case in
which the antenna apparatus is formed by combining two types of
antenna apparatuses (waveguides) shown in FIG. 19 including the
opening part 105 having a tilt in the openings 802 that contribute
to the radiation. In the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 20, the
opening parts 105 arranged in an upper waveguide 100A are tilted by
45 degrees in the x-axis direction from the y-axis direction,
similar to the case shown in FIG. 19, and the opening parts 105
arranged in a lower waveguide 100B are tilted by the angle the same
as that of the opening parts 105 in the upper waveguide 100A in the
opposite direction, that is, tilted by -45 degrees in the x-axis
direction from the y-axis direction.
[0126] In the antenna apparatus including the two waveguides 100A
and 100B, it is possible to obtain desired polarized waves by
adjusting the phase difference between the power input to the
waveguide 100A and the power input to the waveguide 100B while
obtaining the aforementioned effect that it becomes possible to
control the radio wave radiation amount per antenna length. When
the power input to the waveguide 100A and the power input to the
waveguide 100B have the same phase, the electromagnetic waves
radiated from the antenna apparatus become the linearly polarized
wave in the power propagation direction of the waveguides 100A and
100B, that is, in the y-axis direction. Further, when the power
input to the waveguide 100A and the power input to the waveguide
100B have a phase difference of 180 degrees, the electromagnetic
waves radiated from the antenna apparatus become the linearly
polarized wave in the direction perpendicular to the power
propagation direction (y-axis direction) of the waveguides 100A and
100B, that is, the x-axis direction. Further, when the power input
to the waveguide 100A and the power input to the waveguide 100B
have a phase difference of 90 degrees or 270 degrees, the
electromagnetic waves radiated from the antenna apparatus becomes
circularly polarized wave.
[0127] Since the input impedance of the waveguide part of the
antenna apparatus does not generally become 50.OMEGA., the
impedance conversion is preferably performed using an impedance
converter also in the antenna apparatus according to the first
exemplary embodiment, similar to the case of the normal antenna
apparatus. When the waveguide part is formed using the dielectric
substrate, for example, an impedance conversion by a matching
circuit by chip components, an impedance conversion that uses a
stub, an impedance conversion that uses a 1/4 wavelength line may
be used or an impedance conversion method as shown in FIG. 21 may
be employed. FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing one example of the
case in which the impedance conversion is performed in the antenna
apparatus that forms the waveguide part using the dielectric
substrate and shows one example in which a funnel-shaped tapered
line 2101 is inserted between the antenna apparatus and the
microstrip line described in the first exemplary embodiment and the
impedance conversion is performed.
Second Exemplary Embodiment
[0128] Next, with reference to the drawings, a second exemplary
embodiment of the antenna apparatus of the present invention will
be described in detail. In the second exemplary embodiment, one
example of an antenna apparatus capable of radiating
electromagnetic waves having a uniform intensity distribution is
shown.
(Structure of Antenna Apparatus According to Second Exemplary
Embodiment)
[0129] First, with reference to FIG. 22, a structure of the second
exemplary embodiment of the antenna apparatus according to the
present invention will be described. FIG. 22 is a schematic view
showing one example of a plan view of the antenna apparatus
according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present
invention and shows a case in which the opening part has a
meandering shape, similar to FIGS. 1 to 3 in the first exemplary
embodiment. The antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 22 as the second
exemplary embodiment is a modified example of the antenna apparatus
shown in FIG. 1 in the above first exemplary embodiment and
components similar to those of the aforementioned first exemplary
embodiment are denoted by the reference symbols the same as those
in FIGS. 1 to 3 and overlapping descriptions will be omitted.
[0130] In the antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment, the antenna apparatus according to the present
invention includes at least two types of unit structures 106 whose
shapes of the opening parts 105 are different from each other, and
it is possible to control the electromagnetic wave radiation
efficiency per antenna length according to the shape of the opening
part 105.
[0131] In addition thereto, FIG. 22 according to the second
exemplary embodiment shows a diagram in which a power input end and
a power output end are newly specified for the antenna apparatus
according to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and
shows one example of the antenna apparatus according to the second
exemplary embodiment. In the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 22 as
one example, the length of the opening 802 that contributes to the
radiation of the electromagnetic waves of the opening part 105 is
formed to be gradually longer in the order from an opening part
105A2, an opening part 105B2, and an opening part 105C2 from the
side of the input end to the side of the output end and the
radiation efficiency per antenna length is formed to gradually
increase.
(Basic Operation Principles of Structure of Antenna Apparatus
According to Second Exemplary Embodiment and Effects Thereof)
[0132] Next, basic operation principles of the antenna apparatus
according to the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 22 will
be described. In a normal leaky wave antenna, power is gradually
radiated into the space as the electromagnetic waves propagate
through the transmission line. Therefore, the power radiation
amount in the case of the leaky wave antenna formed of the normal
composite right/left-handed transmission line in which the same
unit structures are repeatedly arranged becomes large in the
vicinity of the power input end and becomes small in the vicinity
of the power output end. This causes directional patterns of the
electromagnetic waves that are radiated to be distorted.
[0133] On the other hand, in the antenna apparatus according to the
second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the unit structures
106 whose shapes of the opening parts 105 are changed are arranged
along the power propagation direction (y-axis direction) in order
to compensate for the change in the power radiation amount due to
the change in the power propagation amount in the transmission
line. While the amount of power propagating through the
transmission line gradually decreases as the power propagates, in
the antenna apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment
shown in FIG. 22, the length of the opening 802 that contributes to
the radiation of the electromagnetic waves of the opening part 105
is formed to be longer in the order from the opening part 105A2,
the opening part 105B2, and the opening part 105C2 from the side of
the power input end to the side of the power output end and the
radiation efficiency per antenna length is increased, whereby the
amount of decrease in the power is compensated. In other words, in
the antenna apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment,
compared to the leaky wave antenna formed of the typical composite
right/left-handed transmission line in which the same unit
structures are repeatedly arranged, it is possible to obtain the
radio wave radiation amount in which the electric field intensity
distribution is uniform along the antenna length direction, and to
obtain the antenna apparatus in which the distortion of the
directional patterns is small.
[0134] While the shape of the opening part 105 has a meandering
shape in the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 22, it is also
possible to obtain the antenna apparatus according to the second
exemplary embodiment by employing a desired shape based on another
configuration described in the first exemplary embodiment as the
modified example.
Third Exemplary Embodiment
[0135] Next, with reference to the drawings, a third exemplary
embodiment of the antenna apparatus according to the present
invention will be described in detail. In the third exemplary
embodiment, one example of an antenna apparatus capable of
radiating electromagnetic waves having an intensity distribution
that is close to the Gaussian distribution is shown.
(Structure of Antenna Apparatus According to Third Exemplary
Embodiment)
[0136] With reference to FIG. 23, a structure of the third
exemplary embodiment of the antenna apparatus according to the
present invention will be described. FIG. 23 is a schematic view
showing one example of a plan view of the antenna apparatus
according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present
invention and shows a case in which the opening part is formed to
have the meandering shape, which is the same as the first exemplary
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The antenna apparatus shown in
FIG. 23 as the third exemplary embodiment is also a modified
example of the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to the
aforementioned first exemplary embodiment and the components the
same as those of the aforementioned first exemplary embodiment are
denoted by the reference symbols the same as those shown in FIGS. 1
to 3 and overlapping descriptions will be omitted.
[0137] The antenna apparatus according to the first exemplary
embodiment of the present invention includes at least two types of
unit structures 106 whose shapes of the opening parts 105 are
different from each other. It is possible to control the
electromagnetic wave radiation efficiency per antenna length
according to the shape of the opening part 105.
[0138] In addition thereto, FIG. 23 according to the third
exemplary embodiment shows one example of the antenna apparatus in
which, in the area around the power input end and the power output
end of the antenna, that is, the area around the antenna end parts,
the power radiation amount is controlled to become relatively lower
than that in the area around the antenna central part, using the
fact that the radiation efficiency per antenna length can be
controlled according to the shape of the opening part 105. That is,
in the antenna apparatus shown in FIG. 23 as one example, the shape
of the opening part 105 is changed from an opening part 105A3, an
opening part 105B3, and an opening part 105C3 from the input end to
the output end, the length of the opening 802 that contributes to
the radiation of the electromagnetic waves of the opening part 105
is formed to be short in the opening part 105A3 which is in the
vicinity of the input end or in the opening part 105C3 which is in
the vicinity of the output end, which is around the vicinity of the
antenna end part and to be long in the opening part 105B3 which is
in the vicinity of the center of the antenna length direction, and
the distribution of the radiation efficiency per antenna length is
close to the Gaussian distribution.
[0139] Further, according to the structure shown in FIG. 24, it is
expected that the effect of the third exemplary embodiment can be
obtained more easily than in the structure shown in FIG. 23. FIG.
24 is a schematic view showing another example of the plain view of
the antenna apparatus according to the third exemplary embodiment
of the present invention. As described above, in the normal leaky
wave antenna, power is gradually radiated into the space as the
electromagnetic waves propagate through the transmission line.
Therefore, the power radiation amount in the case of the leaky wave
antenna formed of the normal composite right/left-handed
transmission line in which the same unit structures are repeatedly
arranged becomes large in the vicinity of the power input end and
becomes small in the vicinity of the power output end. By using
this property, it is possible to obtain the leaky wave antenna
according to the present invention that has a distribution of the
radio wave radiation amount that is close to the Gaussian
distribution more easily. That is, in the antenna apparatus shown
in FIG. 24 as one example, two leaky wave antenna apparatuses are
arranged and the shape of the opening part is changed from the
input end to the output end. Since the leaky wave antenna
originally has the property that the power radiation amount becomes
large in the area around the power input end and the power
radiation amount becomes small in the area around the power output
end, it is possible to obtain the distribution of the radiation
amount that is close to the Gaussian distribution more easily than
that according to the configuration shown in FIG. 23 as one example
by using this property. In this case, it is required to apply
excitation with the phase difference of 180 degrees in order to
prevent the radio waves to be radiated from disappearing due to the
interference.
(Basic Operation Principles of Structure of Antenna Apparatus
According to Third Exemplary Embodiment and Effects Thereof)
[0140] Next, the basic operation principles of the antenna
apparatus according to the third exemplary embodiment shown in FIG.
23 will be described. In the antenna apparatus according to the
third exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 23, the length of the
opening 802 that contributes to the radiation of the
electromagnetic waves becomes gradually longer from the both end
parts of the antenna (e.g., the power input end and the power
output end) to the central part of the antenna. It is therefore
possible to control the power radiation amount per antenna length
so that the power radiation amount distribution becomes close to
the Gaussian distribution in which peak appears in the area around
the antenna central part. In general, it is known in the field of
the array antenna that when the input power ratio of each antenna
element is determined according to the Gaussian distribution
(binomial distribution), it is possible to obtain the directional
patterns that do not include side lobe components. According to the
configuration of the third exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 23,
the leaky wave antenna having the power radiation amount
distribution that is close to the Gaussian distribution can be
obtained. It is therefore possible to obtain the antenna apparatus
in which the side lobe level is low according to the antenna
apparatus according to the third exemplary embodiment.
[0141] Further, as is known in the field of the array antenna, it
becomes possible to control the side lobe level and the main beam
width by adjusting the shape of the opening part 105 to obtain the
power radiation amount that complies with the Chebyshev polynomials
or the Taylor distribution. That is, by adjusting the shape of the
opening part 105 to obtain the radio wave radiation amount that
complies with the Chebyshev polynomials or the Taylor distribution
also in the antenna apparatus according to the present invention,
it becomes possible to obtain the leaky wave antenna that achieves
the power radiation amount that complies with the Chebyshev
polynomials or the Taylor distribution.
[0142] It should be noted that, while the preferable exemplary
embodiments of the present invention have been described above,
they are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit
the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made on the exemplary
embodiments depending on specific applications within the scope of
the present invention.
[0143] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-19266, filed on
Feb. 4, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its
entirety by reference.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0144] 100A WAVEGUIDE [0145] 100B WAVEGUIDE [0146] 101 FIRST PLANAR
CONDUCTOR [0147] 102 SECOND PLANAR CONDUCTOR [0148] 103 FIRST
CONDUCTOR CONNECTION PART [0149] 104 SECOND CONDUCTOR CONNECTION
PART [0150] 105 OPENING PART [0151] 105A OPENING PART [0152] 105A1
OPENING PART [0153] 105A2 OPENING PART [0154] 105A3 OPENING PART
[0155] 105B OPENING PART [0156] 105B1 OPENING PART [0157] 105B2
OPENING PART [0158] 105B3 OPENING PART [0159] 105C OPENING PART
[0160] 105C1 OPENING PART [0161] 105C2 OPENING PART [0162] 105C3
OPENING PART [0163] 106 UNIT STRUCTURE [0164] 106A UNIT STRUCTURE
[0165] 106A1 UNIT STRUCTURE [0166] 106B UNIT STRUCTURE [0167] 106B1
UNIT STRUCTURE [0168] 106C UNIT STRUCTURE [0169] 106C1 UNIT
STRUCTURE [0170] 107 DIELECTRIC [0171] 801 OPENING (ONE LINE
ELEMENT THAT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO RADIATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC
WAVES OF OPENING PART 105) [0172] 802 OPENING (THE OTHER LINE
ELEMENT THAT CONTRIBUTES TO RADIATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES OF
OPENING PART 105) [0173] 1401 CHIP CAPACITANCE [0174] 1401A CHIP
CAPACITANCE [0175] 1401A1 CHIP CAPACITANCE [0176] 1401B CHIP
CAPACITANCE [0177] 1401B1 CHIP CAPACITANCE [0178] 1401C CHIP
CAPACITANCE [0179] 1401C1 CHIP CAPACITANCE [0180] 1601
ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR [0181] 1601A ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR [0182]
1601A1 ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR [0183] 1601B ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR
[0184] 1601B1 ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR [0185] 1601C ISLAND-SHAPED
CONDUCTOR [0186] 1601C1 ISLAND-SHAPED CONDUCTOR [0187] 1701 THIRD
CONDUCTOR CONNECTION PART (CONDUCTIVE POST) [0188] 2101 TAPERED
LINE [0189] L LENGTH OF OPENING [0190] L.sub.1 INDUCTANCE [0191]
L.sub.2 INDUCTANCE [0192] L.sub.3 INDUCTANCE [0193] L.sub.4
INDUCTANCE [0194] L.sub.5 INDUCTANCE [0195] L.sub.6 INDUCTANCE
[0196] C.sub.1 CAPACITANCE [0197] C.sub.2 CAPACITANCE [0198]
C.sub.5 CAPACITANCE
* * * * *